On Wed. on 6 P.M. news the welcome news of Italy’s unconditional surrender at 5.30 pm (tho’ cut and dried on Sep 3?) came thro’. One more phase of this weary war finished. If the Italians thought fighting would be over for them if they gave in, I expect they’ll have a rude awakening. They look like having to fight harder than ever now. We have landed in various places on mainland of It[aly] and things seem to be going on well. Gers started bombarding Rome etc. We carried out a huge invasion test in Channel yesterday. Don’t know what was at the bottom of it, but it seems well advertised and apparently a great success.

I went to Sk[egness] on 10.30. bus’. It poured with rain. Had made app[ointment] to have glasses changed at Gor[don] Kents so did not want to put it off as one side piece of present gl. is broken. Says nothing at all wrong with eyes, they are very good, just a matter of age. Am having flat topped frames £2.10. The extra 10/0 means that the lenses are convex. They are worth the extra he says. I could read very fine print with them so hope they are a success. Will be ready in about 2 weeks. He will send a P.C. [postcard] and I shall go to try them there if all is well. [Aside: Paid Dr's Bill £2. 5S 6 to date.]

Father is on watch again to-night after 6 days hol. Jean been to G.L.B. They have started to knit gloves for themselves. Flora [Hall] was tiresome coming home and her shoes came untied. Jean put knitting down, didn’t pick it up after sec[ond] shoe so we put batteries (fortunately we took them out and saved them earlier in summer) in her cycle lamps and she went back on cycle to look for it and found it by Mrs Hipkin’s. Think we will soon go to bed. Woolworth’s [in Skegness] had Xmas cards on sale, very dear. When stocks are sold there will be no more as no more may be made. There were a lot of very pretty calendars too. I got 6. I heard one of the “heads” tell the girls to put out plenty of cards. It will be a great relief to Xmas rush if all cards are sold.

We, Father and I, went to Osborne Café for dinner, fish, pot[atoes], peas, b[read] and but[ter] or rather mar[garine] and pot of tea, 3/8. Very clean and nice. Rene had arrived and was baking. It had stopped raining. 2 o’ clock. I came home with Cousin’s people. There were only 2. Father had to go back to meet 2.58 train. He had had a busy day 4 times to Sk., 1 to W[illough]by, 6 journeys as one was double.

An armistice signed of 3rd September 1943 represented the capitulation of Italy but a complex situation arose due to the continuing presence of German Axis forces.

Gordon Kents was the optician in Skegness.

Rene had arrived at ‘Lenton Lodge’ when May and Jean returned from Skegness.